The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-06-02
REUNITED.


REUNITED.
The blue waters of the Shopscot rippled
and flashed in the August sunshine as it
swept on, winding in and out among the
shattered islands till it reached the
broader expanse beyond. On one of these
islands, and hardly more than stones
throw from the river, stood an old square
house.
On this sultry August afternoon as the
day wore on the sky darkened, distant
thunders sounded warningly now and then,
till with the twilight the breeze, grown to
q sudden gale, dashed the large rain drops
against the windows of the old house
which Mrs. NARROW was hurrying about
to close.
swell, I declare, father she said,
coming down stairs quite out of breath,
show it does rain! who'd thought it when
twas SO pleasant this afternoonT'
Capt. NARROW rubbed the bald spot on
his head refectively as he returned,
''Does pour, that's fact"
A little later a binding flash, accom-
panied by a crash of thunder heavier than
any preceding, caused Mrs, NARROW to
start up from her chair.
"Mercyr' she exclaimed, "I pity any
poor creature that has to be out in this"
The storm continued with little abate-
ment just as one peal of thunder died
away an indistinct sound reached the ears
of the two people in the long kitchen.
They regarded each other questioningly
for moment; then there was rattle of
the door latch. Some one outside was
cropping for it in the darkness.
The man started up, and going to the
door threw it wide open to the storm, but
he stepped back as he did SO, for there on
the door stone stood a figure strange to
him. The next moment his hospitality
overcame every other feeling, and reach
ing out he said, "Whoeyer ye are, come
in."
Mrs. NARROW was by his side and gaz-
ing in amaZement at the slight, white
robed figure. 1t was young girl they
had never seen before. There was fright
ened, appealing look in the brown eyes.
The wind and rain had beaten upon her
head till the dark, curling hair was
drenched and clinging about her neck.
Mr.. Marlow's motherly arms stretched
out instinctively. "Poor child!" she said,
drawing her into the room; "why, father,
she is wet through and through"
1t was quite true. The water dripped
from the dainty white dress and made lit
tie pools upon the floor, She wore no
wrap of any kind. AS yet she had not
spoken, but stood looking wonderingly
about the room.
"Where did you come from? Are you
aloneF" Mrs. NARROW asked, and the girl
answered with shudder, "Yes, I'm
alone
"Dear, dear, poor childl Let me get
you something warm"
Capt. NARROW set about making a fire
in the cook stove, while his wife took the
stranger into the little bedroom. you're
all beat out" the good woman said pity
ingly. "You'd better go right to bed"
The girl made no remonstrance, but sub
mitted quite passively to whatever was
proposed. She took the warm drink Mrs.
NARROW brought her, and when the wo-
man went back to the kitchen she said:
81 declare, father, the poor thing is COM
pletely beat out; she's asleep already"
Anxious days followed, while the
stranger tossed in the delirium of fever,
and Mrs. NARROW cared for her as tender
ly as if she had been her own. "Poor
child" she said, tears coming into her
eyes as she spoke, sit makes my heart
ache to think she is away from all she
loves"
There was no clew to the girls former
life, no one on the island knew anything
about her, and all inquiries otherwhere
brought no knowledge. Mrs. NARROW
searched the girls clothing, but only one
word was found, and one day she slipped
ring off from the wasted hand and looked
for some inscription; there was only the
word she had found before, the name
Kathleen.
The sufferer spoke often, but though
Mrs. NARROW strove to catch any words
that might lead to the discovery of who
she was there was but little that was in
telligible.
Sometimes she seemed to be wandering
through some wood, and said that the
pine needles made soft carpet; ut others
she faucied herself on the water, and said
she was so tired rowing against the stream.
Once or twice she spoke the name of
Everett, but that was all.
"Poor child" sighed the good woman.
"When she gets well she will tell us, and
we will take her home"
But there were days when it seemed
that there was little reason to expect
her recovery, yet the crisis passed and she
still lived. Very white and weak she
was, her brown eyes looking unnaturally
large, then a faint color came into the
face that grew rounded every day. Mrs.
NARROW forbore asking any questions as
vet, though she wondered little that
Kathleen asked her none, but she was
growing stronger; she would speak by
and by.
Yes, she was growing stronger. Still
the doctor looked grave and continued his
visits after she was able to walk about.
But as time went On there was no
change. She answered to the name of
Kathleen and called Capt. and Mrs.
NARROW father and mother, as she heard
them call each other. She seemed quite
happy roaming about the island, only
when any mention was made of going on
the water troubled look came into her
face. 'No," she always said, 81 would
rather not" so they did not urge her.
of a slight, little figure and as carelessly
graceful as q child. Her complexion was
of a creamy, almost transparent white
ness, the crimson showing only in her
cheeks and lips.
The fall, winter and early spring passed
uneventfully away; then there came a
time when the old house was in an un-
usual state of commotion and expectancy.
Capt. Marlow's son Robert was coming
home. He would be here soon now; he
had been in South America, and it was
more than a year ago that he had gone
away. Mrs. NARROW speculated as to
how his coming would affect Kathleen,
who seemed as joyfully eager to prepare
for him as she did herself. But when he
came the broad shouldered captain of the
Highfyer was far more affected than was
Kathleen.
It was Robert who first induced her to
step into a boat. She seemed ashamed Of
her fears, but her face was very pale as
they took the first sail down the river to-
gether. AS the time went on she grew
accustomed to the water and came to en-
joy it. Many were the sails the two took
during the long summer afternoons. On
| one of these, as they rowed slowly along
toward cove bordering the farther side
of the island, Robert said, looking of to